With Halloween approaching, safety is top of mind for parents as children prepare to go trick-or-treating.
But how do New York cities rank for Halloween safety compared with other cities across the country?
According to an analysis by SafeHome.org, Pembroke Pines, Florida, ranked as the safest city for trick-or-treating, followed by Yonkers, New York, and Frisco, Texas. Pembroke Pines received a safety score of 99, while Yonkers and Frisco each scored 98.
Yonkers ranks among the safest cities for trick-or-treating
Yonkers, in Westchester County, ranked No. 2 among 152 cities nationwide, earning an A+ grade, according to the report.
The city combines urban streets with suburban neighborhoods and offers family attractions such as the Hudson River Museum, which features a planetarium and hands-on science exhibits.
The report also considered law enforcement staffing as part of its safety analysis.
How safe are other New York cities for trick-or-treating?
Here is how four of New York's largest cities ranked in the study:
- Yonkers: No. 2 (A+), down from No. 1
- New York City: No. 13 (A), down from No. 3
- Rochester: No. 74 (B), up from No. 117
- Buffalo: No. 91 (B-), down from No. 87
The four cities are among New York's largest by population, according to the U.S. Census.
New York City is the state's largest city, with more than 8.5 million residents. Buffalo has more than 274,000 residents, followed by Yonkers with more than 212,000 and Rochester with more than 206,000, according to 2025 Census population estimates.
Top 5 safest cities for trick-or-treating
According to SafeHome.org, the five safest cities for trick-or-treating are:
- Pembroke Pines, Florida
- Yonkers, New York
- Frisco, Texas
- Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Chandler, Arizona
Top 5 most dangerous cities for trick-or-treating
The five lowest-ranked cities in the study are:
- Memphis, Tennessee
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Oakland, California
- Salt Lake City, Utah
How were the cities ranked?
The study compared 152 of the largest U.S. cities based on factors related to safety for children and families on Halloween night.
According to SafeHome.org, the analysis considered FBI violent and property crime rates, law enforcement staffing, registered sex offender counts from City-Data and pedestrian fatalities using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
Halloween trick-or-treating safety tips
Parents and children can take steps to stay visible and alert while trick-or-treating. Safety tips include:
- Stick to well-lit streets and walkable neighborhoods.
- Add reflective tape or glow sticks to costumes.
- Carry a flashlight.
- Travel in groups and accompany children with an adult.
- Watch for vehicles and stay alert to traffic.
- Use crosswalks and look both ways before crossing streets.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: How safe is trick-or-treating in New York? See city rankings
